Design Star 3: A Divided Team Gay Survives

Overall, I thought they did a pretty good job of it, going for dark walls to contrast with the white architectural details of the room. Judge Cynthia Rowley thought they played it a little safe with too many solid fabrics, failing to mention, hello, the faux leopard rug. And I rarely use the word "safe" to describe a room with nearly-black slate blue walls. (They were supposed to be true black, but time constraints forced them to go with the primer color. It worked.)

Living Room before

Living Room after

Jennifer Bertrand and Stephanie Cook brought us a dining room that mostly didn't work, and probably would have gotten its designer aufed if not for the crime against humanity that was Scottie's bedroom. They ruined the fireplace by slathering it with brown distressed paint. They bought a big table and then ruined, that, too, this time with white paint. They also left their bright blue painters' tape along the molding, which is always hot.

Dining Room before

Dining Room after

Which brings us to the perfection that was the winning design, courtesy of the two buff boys known as Matt Locke (Team Gay senior member) and Mikey Verdugo, the cop-cum-designer who claims Le Corbusier as his design icon and is, it turns out, a team player and one hell of a nice guy.

Mikey Verdugo, Matt Locke